Hi I'm new to this forum and going to be getting a Harley soon. Every body I talk to has a different opinion on the Sportster. Is this a good bike to learn how to ride on and every once in a while when I get comfortable enough on the bike to take my wife rides?

 

Probably easier to learn on. Join a riding class if you haven't rode before. You definitely want to find a bike that fits you and you feel comfortable handling it.

 

My first bike was a sporty and I think they are great bikes. I also can tell you that they are NOT any easy bike to learn on. I learned without any incidents but I did take the motorcycle safety class which didn't help a lot on how to ride a sporster but kept me out of trouble with cars.

To my surprise, after I got months of practice in, my wife decided she wanted to ride and we did 2 up on the sporty for a year. That was after I upgrade the suspension and the seat. I wouldn't say it was comfy but it wasn't terrible either, we had fun.

I ended trading it in on a dyna superglide...I wasn't willing to give up the "fun factor" of the sporty in the twisties but the dyna is much more comfy for both of us, in the twisties or on the freeway. She hated the freeway on the sporty.

Looking back I should have just got a smaller, lighter, honda or something that I could have learned on and then just went for the dyna to begin with. I think the dyna is actually easier to ride then the sporty...at least it seems more balanced to me.

If you buy a sporty, buy it used. The are an entry level harley and are saturated on the used bike market which drives down the price. Good for someone that wants a used one but a big lose for someone that buys new. I got my sporty on craigs list and rode it for over 2 years and traded it in for 500 less then I paid for it (minus mods)

If your wife is planning to ride with you then you really want to get a bigger bike when you get your harley. Do not let her get on it while your learning. I always feared dumping the bike and having her get hurt and me coming out without a scratch....that would really suck

 

Y e s.

 

If you have the inclination, willingness and ability you should have no problems with a Sporty as your first bike. Take the MSF or Riders Edge course first.

 

I have a1200 sporty and I go everywhere with it. It's a great bike, handles well and it's smooth as can be on the highway. Plenty of mods available. I love that bike. I don't ride two up ever cause my wife refuses to ride with me, on a bike or even in a car LOL. But I know friends that ride with their wives with no prob.

 

Sounds like a personal problem.

 

….and it's a great girls bike…….. *runs for the door*

 

I'm kidding…….My old Sporty is one of
two bikes I've wished that I had kept.

 

Great bike,